NEW YORK–On this Valentine’s Day 2017, Omega Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated is excited to announce $10,000 was raised for our beneficiary AF3IRM as part of our Ray of Hope Walk to End Violence Against Women (ROHW). We also partner today on the Purple Rose Day Campaign to share love and commitments among our sisters. Sisters around the country are rising up. Will you join us?

The Ray of Hope Walk took place on October 8th 2016 in Berkeley, California, Chicago, Illinois and New York City, New York. Across three cities, more than 800 sisters, friends and families walked to stand up to end violence against women. The walks featured performers such as Nitty Scott MC, motivational speakers, poets and resource tabling from various women’s rights organizations as well as voter registration and #FreeBresha letter writing. AF3IRM members participated at each walk, fighting alongside us as sisters.

We continue our efforts to rise up against violence by partnering up today on Purple Rose Day. AF3IRM has been hosting the Purple Rose Day campaign for more than 18 years to stand up “against the capitalist assault on women’s bodies… and speaking out against the trafficking and commodification of women and children’s bodies!” On Purple Rose Day, AF3IRM hosts educational workshops and discussions around the epidemic of human trafficking. For information on upcoming events and actions visit www.AF3IRM.org. Today, we are participating and sending purple rose commitments to our sisters. This movement for liberation requires action, and this is how we will continue showing up and supporting our sisters.

“We are beyond appreciative of the generous donation raised through the Ray of Hope Walk, which will go towards grassroots organizing efforts against trafficking, sexual violence and exploitation. In this era of neo-fascism, we in AF3IRM believe it is important now, more than ever, that we link arms to end violence against women in order to achieve genuine liberation. Our work with Omega Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. goes beyond partnership and is a demonstration of true, horizontal comradeship rooted in revolutionary love. We are deeply humbled by OPBSI and encourage women to rise up with us in the exciting work to come!”

– Ivy Quicho, AF3IRM National Chairperson

“Ray of Hope Walk is about building community, sharing resources, and empowering not just our fellow sisters, mothers, daughters but also our partners, brothers, fathers and friends. We were able to bring a ray of hope to three cities for the first time! I joined Omega Phi Beta, Sorority Incorporated to be part of a movement and I am proud of our sisterhood for hosting this initiative. In 2016, we proudly raised a significant sum for AF3IRM, a fierce organization who continues the work to end violence against women”

– Anayeli Gomez, Director of Philanthropy 2016

AF3IRM and Omega Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. look forward to a second year of partnership for 2017. Our partnership will consist of supporting national campaigns, OPBSI sisters participating in AF3IRM’s school of activism workshops and AF3IRM participating at our convention and walks in 2017.

Omega Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated is a Greek-lettered organization committed to spreading the Awareness of Violence Against Women. The mission of OPBSI is to serve and educate people of diverse backgrounds through sisterhood, leadership and guidance. As positive role models, we promote unity of all cultures, focus on the empowerment of our gender and raise the standards of excellence in our academic, social, and personal endeavors. OPBSI envisions a world without oppression, where empowered women celebrate the essence of womanhood and act as resources in the advancement of their communities. For more information visit:www.OmegaPhiBeta.org

AF3IRM is a national organization of women engaged in transnational feminist, anti-imperialist activism and dedicated to the fight against oppression in all its forms. AF3IRM’s diverse, multi-ethnic membership is committed to militant movement-building from the United States and effects change through grassroots organizing, trans-ethnic alliance building, education, advocacy and direct action. With the slogan “a woman’s place is at the head of the struggle,” AF3IRM is an all-volunteer, grassroots organization whose members recognize the intersectionality of their struggles and the absolute necessity of women’s revolutionary resistance. AF3IRM has chapters around the country. These include: Boston, Central Coast, Hawaii, Los Angeles, New York/New Jersey, D.C./Maryland/Virginia, Orange County, San Diego, San Francisco Bay Area, and South Bay – Los Angeles. Organizing committees are also actively building new chapters in other areas. For more information visit: www.AF3IRM.org